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(No Model.) 4Sheets-Sneet1.

J. H. BLESSING.

Automatic. Steam Trap. No. 22,502. Patented June 7, 3881..

fljyare Z N. PETERS. Phamulhagmpher. Washinglon. n. c.

(No Model.)

J. H. BLESSING.

Automatic Steam Trap. No. 242 502.

Kmmsamefl 4 Sheets8heet 3.

' Patented June 7,1881.

No Modei.) 4 Sh'eets-Sheet 4. J. H. BLESSING; Automatic Steam Trap.

N0. 242,502. Patented June 7,1881.

fljare Kmmaavs 1M %0./%)/% M a I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. BLESSING, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE ALBANY 4 STEAM TRAP COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC STEAM-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 242,502, dated June 7, 1881. Application filed August 2, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES 'H. BLESSING, of the city of Albany and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement 5 in Automatic Steam-Traps, of which the following is a full, true, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This apparatus is a modification and im- IO provement on an apparatus for the same purpose previously patented to me, on the 27th of August, 1878, No. 207,484, to which reference is made for a full description ot'principles and modes of operation.v That apparatus depended I 5 for its operation upon the filling and emptying of a bucket, which bucket was caused to sink by entering water. In the present apparatus a floating ball is used instead of a bucket, and other modifications in the apparatus have been made, especially the parts of the apparatus through which the discharge to the boiler takes place.

In my drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical section of my apparatus, showing the parts in detail, Fig. 2, a viewof the same filled with water, and said water being returned to the boiler by the steam entering through the steampipe. These sections are shown through Fig. 3 on the line 0c 00. Fig. 3 is a horizontal view of 3 the top of my apparatus. Fig. A is a section through Fig. 1 on the line 3 y, showing the details of the ball and cup, and Fig. 5 is a modification of my apparatus.

Similar letters refer to similar parts.

A represents the casing or trap; B, the stand or pedestal supporting the same; 0, the waterinlet pipe, provided with check-valve c,- D, the outlet-pipe, provided with check-valve f,- and E, the steam-pipe, provided with steam- 4 valve V.

The apparatus is, of course, arranged above the water-level of the boiler, like those previ ously described.

The standard B is used as an outlet-pipe 4 5 also, connecting with the return-pipe D.

The valve-operatin g mechanism is placed within a chamber, K, (seen clearly in Fig. 3,) on the top of the apparatus.

Within the casing A is the cup Gr, supported on brackets b b b, Fig. 4. A free float-ball, F,

is arranged to rise in and to be supported by this cup G when it is not raised by the water. Sliding through the center ofthis float, through a pipe, g, is the valve-stem 8, provided with adjustable collars a m, with which the movable float engages for the purpose of opening and closing the steam-valve V. This valve is raised by means of the lover I, pivoted at r, and provided at its moving end with a peculiarlyshaped canrsurface, a. The rod 8 is pivoted to the lever l at the point 1). It will thus be readily seen that the steam-valve V is controlled by the movement of the float F.

The cam-surface a engages with a gravity locking device, which consists of a weight, if, pivoted at 0 upon a bell-crank lever, which is provided at its other end with a roller, d, rolling upon the cam-surface a.

The operation of this locking device is such as to hold the steam-valve open and elevated, as shown in Fig. 2, until it is depressed and closed by the falling float F, as shown in Fig.

1, when said lockin g device prevents the opening of the steam-valve until considerable flotation pressure has been brought to bear against 7 5 the collar on by the float F, elevated by the rising water in the trap. The downward motion of the float is further arrested by the cup G,

as shown, through the bottom of which there is an opening, h, serving as an escape or leak around the stem .9, and serving, likewise, for its guide. The moving parts are sufficiently free to allow of their ready movement.

The operation of the apparatus can now be readily understood. The parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1, suppose water to enter the trap through the pipe 0, it will fill the space between the cup G and the casing A, gradually filling the cup G through the leak 71. at the bottom thereof, and will also, 0 when sufliciently high, overflow at the top. Thereby the float F is gradually raised until it engages with the collar on. It does not, how ever, immediately raise the stem 3, because of thelockin g device t but when sufficient press- 9 5 ure by the float has been brought to bear against the collar the bob t will be elevated, the point of the cam-surface will be suddenly forced past the roller d, which roller will then co-operate in raising the steam-valve V wide I00 valuable or certain as the other.

open, and the parts will then be in the position shown in Fig. 2. The steam-valve being held wide open by the bob, the cheek-valve 0 being closed, and the check-valve fbein g open, the water will flow outward through the tube D into the boiler. The descending water will, in the first place, flow out from thelarge space in the trap surroundingthe cup G, and the main body ot'the trap will therebybe thoroughly emptied. All this will occur before the steamvalve closes at all. The water contained in the cup G will then continue to graduallyflow out through the leak or escape it, allowing the float F to sink gradually until it comes in contact with the collar m, when it will, of necessity, close the steam-valve by reason of its weight, elevating the bob t, and also, by reason of the fact that the water in the cup G will necessarily flow out into the space below, which has been previously emptied, thereby avoiding the ditticulty which sometimes arises through the partial closure of the steam-valve, thereby reducing the pressure in the trap below that of the boiler. This trap is therefore certain to operate. An air cock is shown (marked H) to free it of any superfluous air, should any be in the trap.

Fig. 4 shows a similar contrivance without the cup G; but I do not regard this form as so The cam-sun face av is also very slightly altered in shape, so that the float F sinks well to the bottom ot'the trap before closing the steam-valve.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic steam-trap for returning water to a boiler, the combination of a rising and falling float controlling a steam-valve by mechanism which does not operate the steamvalve directly by the movement of the float, but allows an interval of time or lost motion between the movement of the float and the operation of the valve, by reason that said float is not connected with the valve positively, supported by the water in an inner cup or receiver, which water escapes gradually into an outer chamber within the trap after the main body of the trap has been emptied, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In an automatic steam-trap for returning water of condensation to the boiler, the horizontal lever l, controlling a steam-valve operated by float F, and locked in its elevated or depressed position by a bob, t, substantially as specified.

3. In an automatic steam-trap, the combination of the casing A, inner cup, G, float F, opening it, and the connections shown for operating the steanrvalve, which connections do not operate the steamvalve directly by the movement of the float, but allow an interval of time or lost motion between the movement of the float and the movement of the valve, for the reason that said float is not positively con nected with the valve, substantially as described.

J AMES II. BLESSING. In presence ot' GEo. H. Evans, S. F. SULLIVAN. 

